2006 Winner

Bob Peterson

Theatre, Lead InstructorButler Community College

Teaching Philosophy

“As a teacher, I genuinely feel it is my responsibility never to impose my values onto the student, but to extract from the student her/his own sensibilities so that he/she may form an informed, individual viewpoint. I feel that if an observer sees me in one of my students I have not been successful as a teacher. I feel I’m only successful when an observer sees the student as unique, open, one of a kind.”

What People Say

Valerie Haring, Lead Instructor of Art BCC, writes, “If “mastery” is defined to having expert knowledge or outstanding ability, then Bob Peterson is a Master Teacher. He challenges his students and his colleagues to be at the top of their game. Bob continues to work professionally as a playwright and actor, and could have easily pursued a fruitful career in Hollywood or on Broadway, but his calling was to teach. He is a masterful teacher and I urge you to award him the title, Master Teacher, 2006.”

Head of Worldwide Production Services with DreamWorks Animation, Scott McPhail shares, “To say that I have been influenced by Mr. Peterson is an understatement. My first introduction to his passion came when I was cast as Calvin Coolidge, Jr. in the production of his original script, Heaven Ajar. It was the first time I felt that I was respected and challenged to go beyond my own limitations as an actor. But his methods of teaching and challenging never undermined my own ability, or lack thereof, to learn and grow. To this day the lessons I learned under his direction continue to drive my passion for theatre and film. The basics he taught in his classroom and in his rehearsals are the essential that I use every day at DreamWorks Animation.”

“Being at Butler changed my life”, says Tammy Ghormley, a 2000 Butler Graduate. “Mr. Peterson helped guide my career. I am now working for the government at Royal Air Force Station Mildenhall, United Kingdom as an education services counselor. Before that, I worked at Friends University as an adult education advisor and continuing education counselor. In answer to my colleague’s question of how I ended up working in education I simply replied, “A great teacher once showed me the importance of education. He believed in me and gave me the tools I needed to succeed in life. I want to share that with others.”

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